Far away from Disneyland and the Hollywood Walk of Fame lies a colorful boutique hotel that's conveniently less than 1 mile away from the beach. After spending my first trip to LA in DTLA, West Hollywood, and Beverly Hills, I wanted to escape the chic, bright La La Land lights to a laid back summer trip in the middle of Venice and Santa Monica. Needless to say, The Kinney Venice Beach hotel provided me everything I had ever wanted during my stay.

​​It was no surprise that I would experience sunny skies and have sun-kissed skin while I was in Venice, but I was blown away by how much I felt at home in this hotel. From staying in the urban parts of Houston to now relaxing underneath the twinkling lights of California, the hip ambiance of the place immediately made me feel like I belonged. Every corner of this hotel truly reflected the retro, good vibes that the city offers and I'm so excited to give you all the details about my hotel stay.

The true essence of Texas can be found in Chappell Hill, a small rural country town that is an hour drive from Houston. The rolling plains and historically preserved homes can charm a passerby from any given route they take. Even with a total population of approximately 600 people, it is widely known in the state for having the best bluebonnet fields during the spring season. In fact, Texas's Bluebonnet Festival is annually held in Chappell Hill, which attracts people from around the state to take the iconic photos of the flower fields by the red barn. The effortless spring blooms has made the small town a popular tourist destination.

When I traveled with my friend, I immediately embraced the small country lifestyle: no traffic, friendly town people everywhere you meet, and scenic car window views! The charm of it made me love everything about Chappell Hill enough to showcase some of the best spots to see in this unique town.

While I was in New York, I took time outside the bright city lights of Manhattan to explore the beautiful boroughs surrounding the island. Although so much of what makes New York City so appealing to the world is the hustle and bustle, it can be intimidating to find all the sightseeing spots seamlessly without getting lost. With the NY subway being the main transport of everyone in the city, you would have to schedule your time around it. As I explored the city alone, I stumbled upon this exact situation while trying to navigate the subway.

No matter how many times I have researched ways to maneuver around the NY subway, I wished there was a travel guide that showed me the nearest stations from the popular tourist spots around New York City. So, whether you're a first timer or a local, I decided to create a comprehensive subway guide to NYC that showcases all the tourist spots from the main subway lines. Although I am highlighting locations in certain spots, please keep in mind there are always multiple ways to get to one location. Some routes may share the same locations as well, but allow this guide to be a tracker to help you familiarize yourself around the city.

When you're traveling to Austin in March, expect large crowds walking around downtown with music blazing in the streets. The crowded vibe of the city is welcoming as many people from around the world visit Austin to experience it. You can't help but join in on the fun as pop-up events are set up in every block with people anxiously waiting to attend inside. The hustle and bustle during this time of year is the everyday routine during South by Southwest season, and it's my second year attending this conference-festival extravaganza.

When attending SXSW, I've learned so much from my previous year (check out my first SXSW post). I remembered the daunting feeling of attending the festival for the first time with my friends. When I went to SXSW early this month, I noticed people going through the same uncertainty about what to do when they attend. With the festival growing every year, I wanted to share my personal experience about what to expect. With my tips, you'll be able to rock the festival like a pro.

This post is in partnership with Hotel Teatro & Ace Eat Serve. All opinions expressed are my own.

As I reached another year to celebrate my birthday, I knew I wanted to travel to a location where I can feel "on top of the world." Ever since I traveled to Honolulu for a birthday solo trip in 2016, I always made it a priority for me to travel and enjoy the company of myself and a place I've never been to before. Each trip has made me learn something about myself, and now that I'm turning 25, I wanted to find a quick getaway with an amazing outdoor view. With all the anticipating changes I'm making in my life, beginning the year in Colorado instantly popped into my mind.

Colorado has been one of the top must-see states on my travel list since I could remember. Everyone always gushes about their annual Aspen resort family vacations and Rocky Mountain 14-day hiking trips when I was a kid...and I always got a little jealous. One, I'm not the type of girl who just immerses herself in the wilderness and camp outdoors just to look at constellations and make fire out of wood, nor do people ever invite me to join in these types of escapades. People who personally know me understand that it's justnotme​ (insert clapping with every underlined word).

However, Denver seemed like the best place to change that side of me. Being widely known as the "Mile High City," Denver had the best of both worlds when it comes to urban life and country side views. I didn't think twice about the opportunity to go to Colorado and spontaneously booked the flight...assuring myself that I'll figure out the details later. After exploring the city on my own, here is my detailed solo travel guide to Denver:​

This post is in partnership with Hotel Alessandra. All opinions expressed are my own.

click photo for outfit details

When I return home from a trip, I immediately resume the life I'd left off. Seeing wonderful sights and feeling so inspired by the people and culture around the world seems to create an invisible boundary line from the confinements of the old lifestyle and city in which I was raised. Although I keep changing as a person after every trip, the normalcy of my life back home seems to create an even thicker boundary from my never-ending travel bucket list. From working, managing my finances, and being there for my family, I never fully understood Houston's charm in the eyes of a tourist.

That thought changed when I was met with the opportunity to have a weekend staycation at Hotel Alessandra. Not only was it a chance to take a break from my everyday schedule, but it was also a recently new hotel that had the service, amenities, and luxury design that make you see the fancy side of Houston like never before.

This past month, I was given the opportunity to visit the Facebook Office in Austin, TX! Not gonna lie, I was excited outta-my-mind with the offer because I knew that getting the inside scoop of Facebook, the company who also owns Instagram, will give me more insight to being a better content creator- hooray! From the amount of feedback I've been getting from my friends in the blogger community, many ask, "How did you get to visit Facebook?" to which I respond, "I've met the right people who said I can." Facebook tours are exclusively offered to people who are invited from a Facebook employee, and thanks to Instagram, I befriended someone who cared enough for me to visit the amazing company.

As a blogger, my content heavily relies on social media platforms- especially Instagram! With this tour, I was amazed to see the work space of the company who hosts over billions of users who actively use Facebook/Instagram daily. Plus, I had an exclusive interview with one of the Facebook employees to get their personal perspective about the upcoming changes in Instagram.

Thank you to Onyx Hotel Austin for hosting my stay. All opinions expressed are my own.

Hello, Austin! This balcony view from the Retro Chic Suite is an A+!

It's hard to believe that, within a mere 272 square mile city, there's a fascinating charm compacted inside Austin, TX. Yet, with their huge food scene, innovative music events, and thriving tech industry, more people are coming to Austin to get a taste of what makes the city so spectacular. Besides going back and forth from Houston, my home, I don't normally visit the same city twice within a year. However, I've been given more reasons to stop by the state capital of Texas.

Sightseeing around a city wouldn't nearly be as fun without having the best lodging. After traveling for a few years, I learned how important it was to find a hotel that can make me feel right at home. For that reason, I am constantly on the lookout for finding hotels that would provide me a unique experience and comfortable stay. Luckily, I found those qualities at Onyx Hotel Austin's Retro Chic Suite when I stayed for the weekend.

Companies in asterik (*) were mentioned in sponsorship with this post. All opinions expressed are my own.

There's no doubt in my mind that New Orleans is full of culture. The lively crowds, colorful buildings, live jazz music, and rich foods can make anyone who visit the city feel like they are right at home. It's no wonder why people all over the world travel to New Orleans to witness the charm of the French Quarter, Bourbon Street, and Jackson Square. Being 5 hours away from the city and it's popular destination spots, I decided to travel there for the weekend to discover the best way to enjoy New Orleans within the span of 48 hours.

As a frequent traveler, I try to avoid overpopulated areas that make me spend time in tourist traps. I wanted to get to know the local culture of the city and experience what makes New Orleans, NOLA, so popular. If you want to travel to the most popular city in Louisiana and gain a unique experience from the average, stereotypical tourist spots, then read more about my travel guide to New Orleans.

Howdy, ya'll! Although I don't normally say this to people on a daily basis, hearing that greeting always puts a smile to my face; because when it comes to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, everyone is welcome to join in on the country, western fun! And with every Rodeo I attend each year, it brings back old memories of me wearing my cowgirl boots, eating a turkey leg, and watching some of the most intense horse riding competitions. The Houston Rodeo also showcases some of the most popular music concerts! I fondly rememeber my first music concert when Destiny's Child performed at the Houston Rodeo in 2001. It's the one time in the year where I am fully immersed with the southern fun of Texas.